Woman in awe of Bristol hospice now giving back

SARAH Smither had never walked into a hospice before, or had any reason to think she would need to.

But when her husband James was diagnosed with bowel cancer that changed.

The couple had been together for 12 years after meeting at university in Oxford. They had been married for almost two years when James passed away and had been starting to think about having children.

James, who was 33, first suffered what turned out to be symptoms of his bowel cancer about six months before he was diagnosed. But the health niggles he had suffered were put down to possibly being irritable bowel syndrome or an ongoing infection.

Then in January last year a colonoscopy showed signs of something more serious and after scans he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

The Bedminster couple first came into contact with St Peter's Hospice through one of the charity's Hospice at Home nurses who had visited them at home several times following his diagnosis, helping to care for James at night.

"I was really grateful for that as it was difficult being James' carer in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep," Sarah said.

"The nurse, who was called Sarah, complained to the hospital – she actually shouted down the phone to them that they should take him back in. They had not thought he would survive the night but she said he should have some antibiotics and they did the trick, she did save his life then I think and gave him extra weeks."

James was transferred directly from the hospital to the hospice.

"It was like another world, it was peaceful, relaxing and people were on hand 24 hours a day," Sarah said.

"It was amazing and enabled us to talk about a lot of things. They really were special weeks. They were so welcoming and supportive."

Sarah, now 34, said it meant a lot that she was able to stay at the hospice with James.

"We would wheel him around the gardens," Sarah said.

"We were free to come and go, it was like a home-from-home. I could wander around in my pyjamas and get help for him in the middle of the night."

"The hospital wasn't the most relaxing place but I am still so grateful for the support they gave us.

"Having experienced both places was what made me realise how different and special the hospice was.

"I had never stepped foot in a hospice before and didn't understand how it works but was completely blown away that it was for us and free. And that they didn't begrudge us anything at all."

She said that James particularly liked using the baths at the hospice, which he found relaxing.

"Things like that patients were not limited on time, they never refused him anything. It was all about making him feel more comfortable," she said.

"James thought he could beat it and thought that until maybe very close to the end. But I could have conversations with the medical professionals privately so that I could prepare myself.

"We were in awe really, we couldn't believe that this exists and that we had all this help for free. We said we had to do something. I don't know if James had things running through his mind about what he wanted to do but I know he wanted to do something big."

Friends and family have already raised about £20,000 for St Peter's Hospice in the last year through various marathons and climbing mountains. Sarah organised a fundraising gig at The Fleece in August and following its success has organised another three for this year.The gig at The Fleece on May 17 will be headlined by the Rinky Dinks and will also feature the Longest Johns and KoaSoundB with all proceeds going to St Peter's Hospice."We were both really passionate about music and would go to gigs at The Fleece," Sarah said."For me this is the kind of thing I would go to and I think telling people about the hospice through this it will be reaching quite a big audience of people who are younger and perhaps don't think about hospices."

Sarah has also been walking around the perimeter of Bristol in stages with friends and dog Brock, raising awareness of the charity.

The camera woman said that she hoped her support of the charity will be a lifelong commitment.

"They have invited me to events where I have talked about James to other people, it has only recently occurred to me the strength of his story," she said.

Sarah's first gig at The Fleece is on May 17, followed by others on September 7 and 28. Tickets are £10 from Bristol Ticket Shop (0117 9299008), Seetickets, Ticketweb, Gigantic and The Rock Shop.